Reader’s Theater is a engaging SDAIE strategy that ables students to grow in their literacy development through reading aloud scripts taken from literature. Unlike acting out a script in a play, students read aloud scripts, bringing the text alive not by physically acting, but by using their voice, facial expressions, and minimal gestures to convey what is happening in the story.
In one activity, Reader’s Theater actively engages students in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Each student will have a part/character in the script. The students will read off the script, each reciting his or her line with emotion. The students will act out each line verbally as if they were the character in the story. It does not use props, costumes, sets, or memorized lines.
What does it do?
Reader’s Theater benefits students in the following ways: 1. Helps develop fluency and prosody. 2. It increases comprehension by having the students be actively involved with the story. 3. Increases reading motivation because students are able to have fun while reading by acting out the different parts in the script. 4. Provides opportunities for cooperative learning by having students work together in order to read the script correctly. 5. Provides opportunities for students to interpret dialogue and learn how to communicate meaning.
Why is it effective? Reader’s Theater is affective because it allows students to practice reading in a fun environment. It allows students to practice reading before “performing” in front of the classroom, which gives them confidence because they had a chance to prepare. It allows students to use prosody, accents, facial expressions, and minimal gestures to convey the meaning of the script they are reading to the “audience”, being other students in the classroom who will better comprehend the story by the readers extra emotion put into the script.
Who benefits from it the most?
Reader’s Theater benefits all students in the classroom; however, it especially benefits ELL (English Language Learner) students because it breaks through the wall that separates ELL students from concepts taught in class due to their language barrier. The ELL students with a CELDT level of 2-5 will be able to understand more concepts about reading while engaged in this SDAIE strategy, however, CELDT level 1 students can benefit form this strategy as well because it can be used as a tool for including the student, and showing them that reading can be fun and not as intimidating as it seems to them.
Here is a video description and example of Reader's Theater:
Resources Find more information about Reader’s Theater at:
Reader’s Theater
By Michaela Motch
What is Reader’s Theater?
Reader’s Theater is a engaging SDAIE strategy that ables students to grow in their literacy development through reading aloud scripts taken from literature. Unlike acting out a script in a play, students read aloud scripts, bringing the text alive not by physically acting, but by using their voice, facial expressions, and minimal gestures to convey what is happening in the story.
In one activity, Reader’s Theater actively engages students in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Each student will have a part/character in the script. The students will read off the script, each reciting his or her line with emotion. The students will act out each line verbally as if they were the character in the story. It does not use props, costumes, sets, or memorized lines.
What does it do?
Reader’s Theater benefits students in the following ways:
1. Helps develop fluency and prosody.
2. It increases comprehension by having the students be actively involved with the story.
3. Increases reading motivation because students are able to have fun while reading by acting out the
different parts in the script.
4. Provides opportunities for cooperative learning by having students work together in order to read the
script correctly.
5. Provides opportunities for students to interpret dialogue and learn how to communicate meaning.
Why is it effective?
Reader’s Theater is affective because it allows students to practice reading in a fun environment. It allows students to practice reading before “performing” in front of the classroom, which gives them confidence because they had a chance to prepare. It allows students to use prosody, accents, facial expressions, and minimal gestures to convey the meaning of the script they are reading to the “audience”, being other students in the classroom who will better comprehend the story by the readers extra emotion put into the script.
Who benefits from it the most?
Reader’s Theater benefits all students in the classroom; however, it especially benefits ELL (English Language Learner) students because it breaks through the wall that separates ELL students from concepts taught in class due to their language barrier. The ELL students with a CELDT level of 2-5 will be able to understand more concepts about reading while engaged in this SDAIE strategy, however, CELDT level 1 students can benefit form this strategy as well because it can be used as a tool for including the student, and showing them that reading can be fun and not as intimidating as it seems to them.
Here is a video description and example of Reader's Theater:
Resources
Find more information about Reader’s Theater at:
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev082.shtml
http://www.scholastic.com/librarians/programs/whatisrt.htm
http://www.aaronshep.com/rt/Tips1.html
Get access to free scripts for all ages at:
http://suzyred.com/readerstheater.html
http://www.thebestclass.org/rtscripts.html
http://www.teachingheart.net/readerstheater.htm